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4 secrets to standing out on LinkedIn

What separates the great LinkedIn profiles from the average ones is how people use all of the various features on LinkedIn. Of course, it’s also important to have a fully optimized profile.

But it’s not good enough to just fill out your profile anymore. You must do that pesky act we all talk about so often—engage.

The LinkedIn blog recently published an article about four ways to stand out on LinkedIn. Here’s the distilled version:

1. Status updates

LinkedIn users who share content with their LinkedIn networks at least once per week are nearly 10 times more likely to be contacted by a recruiter for new opportunities. News feeds are prominently displayed on home pages due to the recent LinkedIn upgrades. Take advantage of this by sharing articles, blog posts, third-party content, newsletters, etc. Remember, quality is key. And don’t over post either.

2. Schedule, schedule, schedule

Many professionals (including the attorneys with whom I work) don’t think they have the time to be active on LinkedIn. Because LinkedIn has a variety of smartphone and iPad apps, this can’t be your excuse anymore.

Create a schedule and stick to it. Remember, you have to repeat a new action a hundred times to create a new habit. Post updates to LinkedIn on the train to work in the morning, or when you have your morning coffee. When you do it is up to you but you need to stick with it.

3. Upgrade your profile picture

The LinkedIn blog said it best: People always dress for the job they want.

People with photos on LinkedIn are seven times more likely to have their profiles viewed. This is a no-brainer in my books. It makes me uncharacteristically angry when I find a profile without a picture.

Take this a step further by making sure your picture is up-to-date and engaging. There’s almost no excuse to not have a picture. Many professionals are prominently displayed in website bios. Take this picture and add it to LinkedIn. Or invest a few dollars and have a professional picture taken. It’s worth every penny.

4. Don’t be a Debbie Downer

We all know this personality type from Facebook, the people who complain about relationships, bad weather, and anything negative that has crossed their paths. Your LinkedIn network doesn’t care, save it for Facebook.

Keep it professional and update on LinkedIn. Jot down your top 10 dream companies on LinkedIn and follow them. Follow your own company, too. Share unique content your network will benefit from.
Whatever you do, don’t be a Debbie Downer.

LinkedIn has more than 175 million members and a new member joins approximately every two seconds. Make sure you stand out from the crowd by sharing status updates, scheduling LinkedIn into your calendar, upgrading your profile picture, and by not being a Debbie Downer. It’s easy to stand out from the crowd on LinkedIn if you take advantage of all the features that are available to you.

Do you have any tips to add? Please feel free to share them in the comments below.

Samantha Collier, a well-known social media personality in the legal world, works as the chief content manager at Shift Digital Media. Read more about Samantha here. A version of this story first appeared on the blog Social Media for Law Firms.